Although Titus was ashamed to give his consent, yet love, and his friend’s importunities, at length prevailed: and he replied, “Gisippus, in doing what you entreat and say is so much your desire, I know not whether I may be supposed principally to consult your pleasure or my own. As, therefore, your liberality is such that it surmounts all shame in me, I will do as you command. But remember, it is not being gratified in my love only, however great that may be; but it is receiving my life also at your hands, for which I must own myself your debtor. And may the gods grant that I may be able, some time or other, to show how much I think myself obliged by your manifesting a greater regard for me, than I had for myself !”
After this was over, Gisippus said to him, “Titus, in order that we succeed in this affair, I hold it best to take this method: you know everything is concluded between Sophronia’s friends and mine, and were I now to declare my refusal of her, it would be a matter of great reproach, and I should for ever offend both her relations and mine, though the latter I should not so much regard, could I be assured you would obtain her by that means: but I am afraid lest in such case they should bestow her upon some other person, and so you lose what I gained not. If you think well of it, then I intend to proceed in the affair, and bring her home as my own spouse, when you shall privately be put to bed to her, as if she was your wife, and at a proper time the affair shall be made public; if they approve of it, it will be well; if otherwise, the thing will be done, and cannot then be undone, for which reason they must be satisfied.”
Titus approved of this stratagem, and as soon as he was perfectly recovered, Gisippus brought Sophronia home with great rejoicings, when the women put her into his bed, and departed. Now Titus’s chamber adjoined that of Gisippus, so that a person might go out of one into the other Gisippus, therefore, having put out the lights, went silently to Titus, and told him that he might now go to bed to his lady. Upon this, Titus was so overcome with shame, that he began to repent, and refused it. But Gisippus, who was as much his friend as he had always professed himself, after a long contest, sent him to her; when having got into bed, he softly asked if she was willing to be his wife. She, thinking it was Gisippus, replied, “Yes.” Then taking a ring of value, and putting it upon her finger, he said, “And I will be your husband.” Thus everything was consummated, she thinking all the time that she was with Gisippus.
By this time Publius, the father of Titus, departed this life, when letters came to Titus, requiring him quickly to depart for Rome upon his private affairs, which he instantly resolved upon, designing also to take with him Sophronia and Gisippus. But not seeing how this could well be managed, without his first making a full discovery of what had been done, he therefore one day called her into the chamber, and told her the whole affair, which he made clear to her by many remarkable circumstances. Upon this she gazed first at one, and then the other, with extreme confusion, and at length burst into tears, complaining bitterly of Gisippus’s trick upon her; but before she made any stir about it in the house, she went directly to her father’s, and declared to him and her mother the whole treachery, affirming that she was not the wife of Gisippus as they imagined, but of Titus. This was a most grievous thing both to them and all her relations, who complained heavily of Gisippus, and there was much disturbance and confusion about it. Great was the resentment of his own relations, as well as hers, and all declared him worthy not of reproof only, but severe chastisement. But he, notwithstanding, justified what he had done, averring that thanks were rather due to him from her friends, inasmuch as he had married her to one better than himself. Titus, on his part, beheld all this with great concern, and knowing it to be the temper of the Greeks to make a mighty noise and stir when no opposition is made, but where there is any resistance then to be tame and submissive, he resolved to bear their reproaches no longer without a reply, and having an Attic genius, with a true Roman spirit, he had all Gisippus’s and Sophronia’s friends summoned together into a temple, and coming thither, accompanied only by Gisippus, he addressed the expecting multitude in the following manner: